Kitchens tend to be the centre of activity in the home. It is where everyone congregates while food is being prepared and enjoyed. It is important that it functions well and reflects the mood you want to set for the people in your home.

De-cluttering is the first step. Start with the surfaces. Do you have too many items on the counter, fridge or open shelves? Try to keep daily used items like the toaster, kettle or blender on the counter. Store other smaller and less used appliances out of sight, but within easy reach.

Next, look inside the drawers and cupboards. Throw out any stale dated foods, wipe out the areas and arrange the remaining items so that ‘like is with like’ and different is apart (ie: canned goods are separate from boxed goods).

When you do this, you will find it much easier to access all of the items.

Do the drawers or shelves need organizers to help you keep everything in order? Many stores carry organizational products to improve the use of your storage. It can also be helpful to label shelves or baskets so that everyone knows where things belong.

Giving the entire kitchen a thorough cleaning will also improve the look and feel of your space.

Since kitchens are highly used, it might be time to give it a fresh coat of paint, upgrade handles, improve lighting or even renovate it.